Drygate and Sinclair named ‘best independent craft brewers in Scotland’

The recent ‘SIBA Scotland Independent Beer Awards’ for the best independent craft brewers in Scotland saw Drygate and Sinclair Breweries take home the two top spots.

The awards, run by the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA), are judged by brewers and beer experts and seen very much as the ‘brewers choice’ awards in the industry.

Sinclair’s ‘Orkney Dark Island Reserve’ took home the overall Gold in the cask competition while Drygate’s silky smooth 6% milk stout ‘Orinoco’, claimed the Overall Gold in the bottle and can competition.

“This is a fantastic achievement and we’re delighted to get the recognition for the hard work that goes into making this beer. It’s a really delicious, complex beer but what makes it so special we think is the balance of flavours that has been achieved. It’s very refined, not too bitter not too sweet, and surprisingly easy drinking for the strength. We’re delighted.”

Collecting the Overall Gold in the bottle and can competition was Drygate brewing’s Operations Director Sam Cordon, he said –

“It means a huge amount to win this award, it’s the second time we’ve won with this stout and it shows how well it’s received by brewers and beer drinkers. This beer is as complex as it is accessible – it’s got coffee, chocolate, vanilla, and some roasted bitterness – so people who aren’t usually into dark beers love it as it tastes a lot like an espresso Martini, which everybody loves. It’s on the bar right now in the Taproom and we even have a peanut butter version for people to try!”

Full Winners ListCask

Overall Champion of the Cask Competition

Brewery

Product

ABV

Gold

Sinclair Breweries

Orkney Dark Island Reserve

10

Silver

Loch Lomond Brewery

Southern Summit

4

Bronze

Loch Lomond Brewery

Lost in Mosaic

5

Cask British Dark Beers (up to 4.4%)

Brewery

Product

ABV

Gold

Sinclair Breweries

Orkney Red MacGregor

4

Silver

Strathaven Ales

Craigmill Mild

3.5

Bronze

Fyne Ales Ltd

Vital Spark

4.4

Cask British Dark Beers (4.5% to 6.4%)

Brewery

Product

ABV

Gold

Windswept Brewing Co Ltd

Wolf

6

Silver

Loch Lomond Brewery

Silkie Stout

5

Bronze

Keith Brewery Ltd.

Stout Keith

5

Cask British Bitter (up to 4.4%)

Sponsored byRastal GmbH & Co. KG

Brewery

Product

ABV

Gold

Fyne Ales Ltd

Hurricane Jack

4.4

Silver

Loch Lomond Brewery

Bonnie n Blonde

4

Bronze

Sinclair Breweries

Orkney Raven

3.8

Cask British Premium Bitter (4.5% to 6.4%)

Sponsored byRankin Brother & Sons

Brewery

Product

ABV

Gold

The Ferry Brewery Co. Ltd.

Ferry Witches Brew

4.5

Silver

Born in the Borders

Dark Horse

4.5

Bronze

Fyne Ales Ltd

Highlander

4.8

Cask Session IPA (up to 4.3%)

Brewery

Product

ABV

Gold

Loch Lomond Brewery

Southern Summit

4

Silver

Beath Brewing

Secret Coming over

4

Bronze

Hybrid Brewing

Groat

3.8

Cask Premium PAs (4.4% to 5.4%)

Sponsored byMurphy & Son Ltd

Brewery

Product

ABV

Gold

Loch Lomond Brewery

Lost in Mosaic

5

Silver

Windswept Brewing Co Ltd

Hurricane

4.5

Bronze

Spey Valley Brewery

Stillman’s IPA

4.6

Cask IPA (5.5% to 6.4%)

Sponsored byCharles Faram & Co. Ltd

Brewery

Product

ABV

Gold

Loch Lomond Brewery

Bravehop

6

Silver

Ride Brew Co.

Glasgow Pale

6.4

Bronze

Arran Brewery

Arran ID

6

Cask Speciality Light Beers

Brewery

Product

ABV

Gold

Windswept Brewing Co Ltd

Weizen

5.2

Silver

Jaw Brew

Wave

4.6

Bronze

Williams Bros Brewing Co.

Birds & Bees

4.3

Cask Speciality Mid to Dark Beers

Brewery

Product

ABV

Gold

Sinclair Breweries

Orkney Dark Island Reserve

10

Silver

Loch Lomond Brewery

Lost monster

10

Bronze

Windswept Brewing Co Ltd

Werewolf

6

Cask Strong Beers (6.5% and Over)

Sponsored byBulk Storage & Process Systems Ltd

Brewery

Product

ABV

Gold

Loch Lomond Brewery

Outlander

6.5

Silver

Sinclair Breweries

Orkney Skullsplitter

8.5

Bronze

Five Kingdoms Brewery

Dark Storm

6.9

Bottle/Can

Overall Champion of the Bottle/Can Competition

Brewery

Product

ABV

Gold

Drygate Brewing Company

Orinoco

6

Silver

Fyne Ales Ltd

Mills & Hills

9.5

Bronze

Loch Lomond Brewery

Bravehop

6

Bottle/Can British Dark Beers (up to 4.4%)

Brewery

Product

ABV

Gold

Jaw Brew

Fathom

4

Silver

Merchant City Brewing

Unit 1 Red Ale

4

Bronze

Strathaven Ales

Mild

3.5

Bottle/Can British Dark Beers (4.5% to 6.4%)

Brewery

Product

ABV

Gold

Windswept Brewing Co Ltd

Wolf

6

Silver

Spey Valley Brewery

Spey Stout

5.4

Bronze

Sulwath Brewers Ltd

Knockendoch

5

Bottle/Can British Bitter (up to 4.4%)

Brewery

Product

ABV

Gold

Sinclair Breweries

Orkney Raven

3.8

Silver

Cairngorm Brewery

Stag

4.1

Bronze

Harviestoun Brewery

Bitter and Twisted

4.2

Bottle/Can British Premium Bitter (4.5% to 6.4%)

Brewery

Product

ABV

Gold

Fyne Ales Ltd

Highlander

4.8

Silver

Five Kingdoms Brewery

Wee McAsh Bitter

4.5

Bronze

Harviestoun Brewery

Broken Dial

4.5

Bottle/Can Session IPA (up to 4.3%)

Brewery

Product

ABV

Gold

Cross Borders Brewing Company Ltd

Wee Braw

4

Silver

Barney’s Beer Ltd

Vital Juices

3.8

Bronze

Fyne Ales Ltd

Jarl

3.8

Bottle/Can Premium PA (4.4% to 5.4%)

Sponsored byBeatson Clark Ltd

Brewery

Product

ABV

Gold

Drygate Brewing Company

Seven Peaks

5

Silver

Cross Borders Brewing Company Ltd

Braw

5.2

Bronze

Merchant City Brewing

Moteuka Pale Ale

4.4

Bottle/Can IPA (5.5% to 6.4%)

Brewery

Product

ABV

Gold

Loch Lomond Brewery

Bravehop

6

Silver

Fyne Ales Ltd

Workbench

5.5

Bronze

Williams Bros Brewing Co.

Impale IPA

5.5

Bottle/Can Imperial IPA (6.5% and over)

Brewery

Product

ABV

Gold

Swannay Brewery

Muckle

6.6

Silver

Fyne Ales Ltd

Remote Parts

7

Bronze

Top Out Brewery LLP

The Cone

6.8

Bottle/Can Session Lager & Pilsner (up to 4.4%)

Brewery

Product

ABV

Gold

Swannay Brewery

Magnus Blonde

4.3

Silver

Drygate Brewing Company

Bearface Lager

4.4

Bronze

Merchant City Brewing

Klassisches Pilsner

4

Bottle/Can Premium Lager & Pilsner (4.5% to 6.4%)

Brewery

Product

ABV

Gold

Keith Brewery Ltd.

Larger Keith

4.5

Silver

Windswept Brewing Co Ltd

Lighthouse

4.7

Bronze

Knops Beer Company

Cold Fury

5.2

Bottle/Can Speciality Light Beers

Brewery

Product

ABV

Gold

Inner Bay Brewery Ltd

Pearl

6

Silver

Top Out Brewery LLP

Copperheid

3.4

Bronze

Williams Bros Brewing Co.

Birds & Bees

4.3

Bottle/Can Speciality Mid to Dark Beers

Brewery

Product

ABV

Gold

Drygate Brewing Company

Orinoco

6

Silver

Loch Lomond Brewery

Lost monster

10

Bronze

Harviestoun Brewery

Ola Dubh 12 year old

8

Bottle/Can Sours/Spontaneous

Brewery

Product

ABV

Gold

Drygate Brewing Company

Take Me To The River

3.9

Silver

Cross Borders Brewing Company Ltd

Autumn

5

Bronze

Keith Brewery Ltd.

Frank

4

Bottle/Can Strong Beers (6.5% and Over)

Brewery

Product

ABV

Gold

Fyne Ales Ltd

Mills & Hills

9.5

Silver

Loch Lomond Brewery

Outlander

6.5

Bronze

Williams Bros Brewing Co.

Alba

7.5

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